


Chicken Soup for the SOLDIER

by Brutal_Harrier



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Eating Disorders, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25417561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brutal_Harrier/pseuds/Brutal_Harrier
Summary: “There’s so much more to it than that.” Angeal said, pointing his fork accusingly. “Good food is the cornerstone of humanity, it’s what separates us from animals.”“.......whatever.” Sephiroth pushed his food around on his tray.Angeal sighed. “That’s it, when we get back to Midgar I'll find you some food so good you’ll eat your words.”The way to a man's stomach is through his heart, or something like that. Come hell or high water Angeal Hewley will spread the gospel of good eating.
Relationships: Angeal Hewley/Sephiroth
Comments: 5
Kudos: 46





	Chicken Soup for the SOLDIER

**Author's Note:**

> Played FF7:R  
> Fell in love with Sephiroth  
> Watched a lets play of crisis core  
> Sephgeal slotted into my brain like a missing puzzle piece.
> 
> This was supposed to turn angsty but I wrote the fluff part and chickened out. I just want them to be happy.
> 
> I'm allergic to editing so there's probably typos. I might add more to this someday or I might not I hate making promises.

Sephiroth’s memory of the first few years of his life were fuzzy. The seemingly endless days of tests and examinations and procedures and tests and waiting and tests, all blended together in a muddled nightmare.

The one thing that stood out clearly was that there was never any food in the labs, he was fed yes. But even an oversized lab rat could tell that nutrient slurries and protein cubes didn’t count as food.

Once they’d done every test they could think of he was shipped straight from the labs to the front lines of the Wutai war. It took a few days to get used to the fact that light could be warm. But shoddily prepared field meals and Shinra standard issue MREs were like a little packet of home.

In the labs everything ran like clockwork, there was always someone collecting him or instructing. Once he’d tried staying up past schedule just for a little variety and he’d been sedated for his trouble. On the front however he found for the first time in his life he could peek out from under the thumb Hojo kept him under.

When he told his commanding officers he’d already eaten they just believed him, and before long he didn’t have a CO to report to anyway. He didn’t really need to eat all that often anyway. As long as he timed it right he could get away with only eating a few times a week without anyone noticing.

At some point a little after the war had gotten into full swing Genesis and Angeal appeared. He noticed because they were the only people who ever talked to him. When Angeal came up to him the first time while they were making camp it had taken him a moment to remember how to form sentences that weren’t field reports.

Now that he had friends most of the times he ate were when they were also eating. They’d gather together with their trays in an out of the way corner. It was better than eating alone, he still didn’t like it but it was tolerable.

“You’d think with all their ‘endless power and benevolence’ Shinra could make some food that doesn’t taste like shit.” Genesis complained.

Angeal shrugged. “It’s better than nothing.”

“Barely.” Genesis sighed and looked wistful. “Do you remember those tarts we used to have back home? I’d kill for one right now.”

“Yeah,” Angeal said, “or the apple biscuits. What about you Seph?”

Sephiroth looked surprised, he tended to be more of a listener in these conversations. “I don’t know, it’s all food.”

“What no way!” Angeal looked stricken. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“You just eat it to live.”

“There’s so much more to it than that.” Angeal said, pointing his fork accusingly. “Good food is the cornerstone of humanity, it’s what separates us from animals.”

“.......whatever.” Sephiroth pushed his food around on his tray.

Angeal sighed. “That’s it, when we get back to Midgar I'll find you some food so good you’ll eat your words.”

“At least words would be better than whatever this is supposed to be.” Genesis stabbed a cube of something with his fork and it came away from the plate with a trail of sauce.

By the time they got sent back to Midgar at the same time Sephiroth had forgotten about that conversation. So when Angeal cornered him in the hallway out of nowhere it was a bit of a surprise.

“It’s time for you to learn the power of good eating.” 

There was no way this wouldn’t end up being a gigantic waste of time. “Okay.”

They set out for the first stop on the ‘power of food’ tour and it was actually really far. They passed through a number of sectors to a part of Midgar so close to the edge of the plate that if they went any further they might fall off. Their destination was a tiny shop with a hand painted sign. The interior barely had enough room to seat two parties.

“No judgments until you’ve eaten something.” Angeal chided.

“I wasn’t judging.” Sephiroth said blankly.

Angeal poked playfully at his shoulder. “You’re pouting.”

Sephiroth swatted his hand away with a scowl. “I don’t pout.”

They sat down at one of the tables and a server emerged from the kitchen almost excitedly. She chatted amicably with Angeal, Sephiroth responded when he was directly addressed and before long Angeal had placed their orders and they were alone again.

Sephiroth took a moment to appraise the interior. A generous person might call it homey with it’s obviously lived in furniture and the few family portraits dotting the walls. Some people might find the small space overflowing with personal effects welcoming, Sephiroth was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

To fend off the feeling of nausea from the dizzying number of patterns they shoved into one tablecloth Sephiroth turned his attention to Angeal instead. Angeal was interesting most people went through a period of being terrified of him before they realized he was a person who could be talked to. But Angeal managed to figure that out on day one. Even if the lectures were kind of annoying and the fact that he both carried his sword everywhere and refused to ever use it was weird. No one else had ever made Sephiroth feel so normal.

It wasn’t too long of a wait before their food came, it was two steaming bowls and a basket of biscuits. The contents of the bowl were a cream based soup with bread lumps and chunks of meat floating in it with diced carrots and peas. Sephiroth spooned up one of the bread lumps experimentally. “What is it?”

“It’s creamy dumpling soup.” Angeal explained. “The bread lumps are the dumplings. You’re supposed to let the biscuit soak in the soup and you can add hot sauce if you want it spicier.”

Angeal was evidently going to watch until he took his first bite so Sephiroth expeditiously followed his instructions and scooped up a spoonful. 

It was definitely the least offensive thing he’d ever put in his mouth. The idea of a soup that included bread had been nerve wracking but in practice it did a nice job of mellowing out the surprisingly intense flavor of the creamy soup. The meat was soft without being mushy and the vegetables supported the other flavors. It was nice, but it was still just food.

“Well?” Angeal said, leaning forward in anticipation. “What do you think?”

“It….. tastes good.” Sephiroth replied uncertainly.

“That’s it? ‘It tastes good’?” Angeal prodded.

Sephiroth shrugged. “I’d eat it again.”

Angeal scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I guess i’ll have to try harder.”

“What exactly are you expecting?” Sephiroth asked.

“Well…” Angeal began. “I want you to eat something, then smile and say it’s delicious, and i’m not stopping until that happens.”

“I guess that means I have to keep going out to lunch with you.” Sephiroth said resigned.

Angeal smiled warmly. “Speaking of..”

Sephiroth rolled his eyes exasperated. “Yes i’ll pay for it.”

“You’re the best Seph.” Angeal said, cheerfully.

They fell into a simple pattern. Angeal would seek him out whenever they were both in Midgar and had an amount of free time, they’d wander out to a restaurant Angeal had some level of fondness for, Sephiroth would try something he’d picked out and Angeal would eagerly wait for his reaction.

Sephiroth wasn’t sure when he started looking forward to these lunches. But he realized that lately when Angeal came for him he was already waiting. It was fun having something pleasant to break up the day to day monotony of working for Shinra. 

They’d just finished a meal at a sandwich shop in sector 8, an unusually simple dish for these outings but Angeal had gone on and on about how particular this shop was about their ingredients. 

Apparently this place had been a recommendation from one of the staffers of the information desk. It was a nice enough place and there were a handful of other Shinra employees scattered around the dining room.

“Is something wrong Sephiroth?”

Sephiroth glanced in Angeal’s direction out of the corner of his eye. “Why would something be wrong?”

“Do you….. Not like sandwiches?” Angeal looked concerned.

Sephiroth sighed and glared down at the counter. “It was fine.”

Angeal thought for a moment. “Was it Hojo?”

“My presence has not been necessary in the labs as of late.”

“Was it Genesis then?” Angeal asked. “Because I’ve been talking to him about-”

“It wasn’t Genesis!” A few of the other patrons turned their heads at his outburst but quickly turned back to their own meals once they saw who it was.

Angeal wrapped an arm around Sephiroth’s shoulders. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Sephiroth leaned into Angeal’s embrace. “What happens after you find a food I like?”

“....What?”

Sephiroth leaned further into Angeal’s shoulder. “After you find a food I like, we won’t have to have lunch together anymore.”

Angeal chuckled and pulled Sephiroth back against his shoulder when he started to sit up. “I’m not going to cancel our lunch thing at the first food you enjoy. Is that what you thought would happen?”

“Don’t laugh at me.”

Angeal’s shoulders shook but there was no more audible laughter so Sephiroth elected to ignore it.


End file.
